Social media gibes, music and comedy spice up Kericho vote hunt

Photographs and computer generated graphics used by Kericho residents during the Senatorial by-elections campaigns. Source: Social media

KERICHO: As campaigns for Kericho senatorial by-election hit fever pitch, top candidates turned to music, comedy and social media to woo voters.

To appeal to thousands of voters, supporters of Kanu’s Paul Sang and Aaron Cheruiyot of the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) had to find creative ways to outdo each other.

Sang approached top Kalenjin musician Mike Rotich, popularly known as Sweet Star, to compose his campaigns signature song Kanu Juu.

Sang in Kalenjin, the song, which praises Sang and his party Kanu, became an instant hit.

In the song, Rotich describes Sang as a hardworking man who can solve the challenges facing Kericho residents. The musician, who refers to Sang by his nickname Chamanbuch (love me for free), also proclaims that the independence party is back with a bang.

Soon after the release of the song at a Kanu rally at Kapkatet Stadium, a venue associated with major political declarations by the Kalenjin community, Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) candidate Aaron Cheruiyot hired songstress Florence Chepng’etich of Naswa Melodies to compose a campaign tune for him.

Chepng’etich, an upcoming artist who also sings in Kalenjin, did not disappoint. She took no time to release Kiptoyot Komas Kasit, a song praising Cheruiyot and the ruling Jubilee coalition.

Kiptoyot Komas Kasit, popularly abbreviated as KKK and which loosely translates to dedicated young man, is the JAP candidate’s campaign slogan.

In the song, the musician, who is famed for her hit Morning Glory, urges voters to give the youthful Cheruiyot a chance to serve them. The song has resonated well with Jubilee supporters. Bureti Superstars, the gospel music group behind ODM campaign song kimi beek kwenet (stranded in the sea), have also composed a song in favour of Cheruiyot. The group is also known for coining CORD leader Raila Odinga’s Kalenjin nickname Arap Mibei

Deputy President William Ruto has been using Sang’s slogan to tease him, asking voters: “Do you vote for a person who tells you to just love him for free or the one saying I want to work?”

Not to be left behind, Kanu supporters have turned Cheruiyot’s slogan Kiptoyot Komas Kasit to Kiptoyot Kotunis Korok, asking him to first get himself a wife before they can entrust him with the county’s leadership.

Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat has been dancing to the late Junior Kotestes’ hit song My Cousin to attack on Cheruiyot over claims that he is related to Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter.

The DP’s frequent pronouncements of “Tumetenga pesa” (the government has set aside funds) have been the subject of jokes among Kanu supporters, who have penned a poem titled Tumetenga. The joke doing rounds in the county is that whenever the DP addresses a campaign rally, he is fond of saying the government has set aside millions of shillings for various projects, but the pledges never materialise.

Apart from song and dance, Kericho residents have been treated to numerous audio and video clips shared on the popular social media platforms Facebook and Whatsapp. Cheruiyot’s supporters have been sharing a picture of a featherless Kanu cockerel to tease their rivals that their “jogoo will be slaughtered” in tomorrow’s by-election. To hit back, those supporting Kanu shared a video of a jogoo attacking a young boy.

Local comedians have spiced campaign rallies with satirical performances touching on leadership, integrity and good governance.

Kimutai Ruto, the comedian behind the popular Propesa production, and his team have performed at various Kanu rallies.

JAP and Kanu supporters have also been sharing computer generated graphics and Photoshopped pictures to show that their rallies draw huge crowds. One of the campaign teams used a picture of the just concluded presidential campaigns in neighbouring Uganda to create the perception that their candidate pulls mammoth crowds.

But lawyer Kipkoech Ng’etich, a resident of Kericho, said the campaign tactics employed by the two camps deny voters the opportunity to understand the true character of the candidates.

“It suppresses real issues and renders an election a charade. It has been effective in Kericho to a big extent,” said Ng’etich.